Machine for pressure dyeing felt blanks and the like



M. CASSE Aug. 10, 1965 MACHINE FOR PRESSURE DYEING FELT BLANKS AND THE LIKE 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 20, 1962 Aug. 10, 1965 M. CASSE 3,199,752

MACHINE FOR PRESSURE DYEING FELT BLANKS AND THE LIKE Filed Nov. 20, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 2' MACHINE FOR PRESSURE DYEING FELT BLANKS AND THE LIKE Filed Nov. 20, 1962 M. CASSE Aug. 10, 1965 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Fig.5

United States Patent Ofiice Fatented Aug. 10, 1965 3,199,752 MACHINE FOR PREURE DYEHIG FELT BLANKS AND THE LEKE Marcel Casse, 69 Rue Ferray, Essonnes, Seine et Oise, France Filed Nov. 20, 1962, Ser. No. 239,015 Claims priority, application France, Dec. 6, 1963, 881,170, Patent 1,315,157 12 Claims. (Ci. 223-) The present invention relates to machines for pressure dyeing felt blanks or hat bodies and the like.

Known machines generally comprise circular perforated metal cones on which the blanks or cloches to be dyed are carefully superimposed. The base of these cones is fixed on a circular ring and through the medium of the latter the cones bear head-downwards on the edges of circular openings formed in a thick horizontal plate. A rubber seal is disposed between each ring and the plate. In order to obtain fluid tightness and above all to withstand the pressure which forces the dyeing bath to pass through the bodies, a tripod, an oscillating stirrup and a screw are placed over each perforated cone and these elements exert a pressure on the rubber seal. The thick plate generally has an elongated rectangular shape and it is placed be tween two cavities of elongated rectangular shape. The lower cavity is closed and communicates with the outlet of a centrifugal pump through piping. The upper cavity is open and communicates with the inlet of this pump through other piping.

These known machines are expensive to make owing to their complicated shape and their arrangement. They require a large volume of dye bath relative to the small number of bodies to dye (generally twelve bodies per perforated cone) and the excessive dilution of the colouring substances renders a correct dyeing diihcult and increases the consumption of colouring substances, water and steam.

The bath contained in the lower chamber, which is closed and under pressure, can be super heated and after having passed through the bodies to be dyed it is at atmospheric pressure in the open upper chamber; a violent boiling then occurs, the emulsion of steam and water overflows and there is a danger of seriously burning the dyeing operators. It is practically impossible to exceed 90 C. during the dyeing operation.

The object of the present invention is to provide a pressure dyeing machine for felt blanks and the like which is so improved as to avoid the aforementioned drawbacks of known machines. This machine is of the type having perforated supports or cones which are traversed by the dyeing bath put under pressure by a pump, the cones of said machine being fixed radially with their axes horizontal to a tubular cone-carrying wall having a vertical axis, said cones being arranged on the whole of the perimeter or said wall.

Owing to this arrangement, in which the cone-carrying wall can be cylindrical or prismatic and the cones are disposed in staggered relation, the overall size of the machine is reduced; the volume of the dye bath relative to the weight of the articles to be dyed is normal, that is, this weight is about 25-40 times the weight of the blanks; there is no excessive dilution of the colouring substances; and the consumption of water and steam is minimum.

According to another feature of the invention the assembly comprising the cones and the tubular cone carrying wall is surrounded by a second wall coaxial with the first, the two walls forming with a single and removable upper cover and with the lower connecting elements for connecting the pump, two vertical closed concentric chambers which communicate through the medium of said pump.

The machine has only one cover and therefore a single sealing element is sufiicient. The risk of leakage is greatly reduced. The machine is completely closed and it is possible to heat it to a temperature exceeding C. and consequently to reduce the dyeing time and increase the quality of the dye obtained.

In one embodiment the cones are fixed to the interior of the inner wall which forms with the outer wall a jacket connected to the inlet of the pump which discharges into the chamber defined by the inner wall.

In another embodiment the cones are fixed to the outer face of the inner wall in the annular space between the two walls, the pump drawing in from the centre chamber and discharging into the said annular space.

Further features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the ensuing description, with reference to the accompanying drawings to which the invention is in no way limited.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view, with parts cut away, of a pressure dyeing machine improved in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a partial horizontal sectional View of one of the devices for rapidly connecting a cone to the conecarrying wall, taken along line 22 of FIG. 1 but on an enlarged scale, the two elements of the device being shown separated;

PEG. 3 is a half-horizontal sectional View of a machine taken along line 3-53 of FIG. 1 and a half-plan view thereof, the cover having been removed;

FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional view on an enlarged scale relative to that of FIGS. 1 and 3, of a sampling device which is located laterally of the machine and permits introducing various products and comprises a perforated cone adapted to receive a sample or reference article;

FIG. 5 is a vertical sectional view of a variant of the machine according to the invention, and

FIG. 6 is a plan view of the machine shown in FIG. 5 with the cover removed.

in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-4, a centrifugal pump 2 is fixed on a base 1 and driven by a motor 3. Fixed to the outlet pipe 4 of this pump is a horizontal circular plate 5 stiiiened by ribs 6. This plate constitutes the bottom of a central chamber 1 defined by a cylindrical wall 7. The latter defines a second coaxial outer cham ber II in combination with a second outer cylindrical wail 8.

At their upper parts these two cylindrical walls 7, 8 are interconnected by a U-section ring 5 (see FIG. 4) which contains a sealing element 19 closing the annular space II at the upper end of the latter.

The central chamber I is closed by a cover 11 which comprises an outer flange 12 which is applied against said sealing ring 1% by screws 13 and nuts 14.

The annular chamber II communicates at its base with a cavity 15 constituted by the extension or" the outer wall 8, a short cylindrical wall 16 which is eccentric relative to the axis WW of the walls 7 and 3 and is welded to the plate 5, and a base plate 17 welded to the walls 8 and 16. This cavity communicates with the inlet 13 of the pump 2 by way of a pipe 19 which opens out into the cavity 15 through the plate 17 and has a drain cock 20.

It is in the central chamber I that the cones or supports C carrying the hat blanks or bodies A or other articles to be dyed are disposed in several horizontal tiers. These cones, which are detachably supported on the wall 7, have their axes disposed radially of the axis WW and perpendicular to the latter, and these axes being oifset from Q.) one tier to the next subjacent tier so that the cones are in staggered relation.

In the presently described embodiment, four tiers each having three cones are provided; the axes W-X, W-Y, WZ (FIG. 3) of the cones of the upper tier and of the third tier from the top being offset 60 relative to the axes WX JV-Y W--Z of the cones of the two other tiers.

Each cone or support C comprises a perforated conical wall 21 secured to an unperforated base 22 provided with a central opening (FIGS. 1 2). Fixed 31d this opening outside the cone is a member 24 having an outer flat face 25 (FIG. 2) from which project two claws as having two support faces 27 facing but inclined to, the flat face 25. Openings 28 are provided in the inner cylindrical wall 7 around which opening are secured to the wall 7 members 29 which are complementary to the members 24 in that they comprise a flat face and tenons 31 on which the claws 2s engage, their support faces 27 coming into contact with rear fiat faces 32 having the same inclination as said tenons.

When the perforated cones C are lowered vertically into the chamber I after having removed the cover 11, the openings formed in the connection members 24 and 29 come into alignment with each other and these two members are interconnected by the claws 26 and tenons 31. The interiors of the perforated cones C are thus put in communication with the annular chamber ll formed between the walls 7 and 8 and consequently with the inlet of the pump 2.

Disposed on the bottom 5 is a tube 33 wound in the form of a spiral and through which is supplied the heating steam entering at one end 34, the other end 35 of the tube being connected to a conventional bleeder (not shown) whose function is to evacuate the condensed Water.

A solid central deflector 36 constrains the stream of the dyeing bath issuing from the outlet pipe 4 of the pump to fall back onto this heating spiral tube 33 as shown by the arrows in FIG. 1.

The unperforated deflector 36 is extended by a perforated cone 37 which diffuses the bath throughout the cross-section of the central chamber 1.

Placed at the side of the machine is an auxiliary sampling device D.

This device comprises a vessel 33 supported by a column 39 resting on the base 1. This vessel comprises (FIG. 4) at its upper part a recess containing a sealing ring 40 against which is pressed under the effect of a screw 41 screwed in tapped hole formed in a fixed stirrup 42, the circular flange 43 of a detachable cover 44. Secured inside this vessel is a ring 45 which carries a sealing ring 46 on which rests the circular flange 47 of a perforated cone 48 adapted to receive internally one of the blanks or cloches to be dyed, this blank A constituting a sample or reference blank.

A pipe 49 with a valve 50 connects'the cylindrical chamber I to the upper part of the vessel 33 above the perforated cone 48. A second pipe 51 with a valve 52 puts the bottom of the vessel 38 in communication with the annular chamber 11 and consequently with the inlet of the pump 2. A drain cock 53 is connected to the bottom of the vessel 38.

A pressure gauge 54 permits measuring the pressure created in the chamber I by the pump 2.

Another pressure gauge 55 permits measuring the pressure prevailing at the outlet of the perforated cones C in the chamber II.

A safety valve 56 permits limiting this pressure and in addition to its safety function, it limits the temperature to which the dye bath is brought and the temperature that the keratinic fibres of the blanks A are capable of standing without appreciable harm. A thermometer 57 indicates the temperature of the bath.

The machine operates in the following manner:

Outside the machine are provided the perforated cones, loaded in the known manner, with the blanks A to be dyed. It is customary to provide the dyer with at least two sets of perforated cones. While one set is in the machine in the course of dyeing the other is provided with blanks for dyeing in the following dyeing operation.

The perforated cones C provided with their blanks A ken in both hands by the dyer who places them in =n in the machine in of course starting with the cones of the bottom tier. These cones are lowered down vertically so that the claws 26 of the members 24 engage behind the tenons 31 of the members 39. At this moment the con-es are released and the effect of their weight causes the claws 26 to bear down on the tenons. Owing to the Wedge shape of these claws and tcnons, the flat faces 27 and 32 are strongly applied against one another, thus precluding any large escape of fiuid therebetween. V

vrhen all the cones have been placed in the machine, the latter is filled with water and the dyer adds the chemical products required for dyeing: wetting products, colouring substance uniting products, acids, and so on. The cover 11 is closed down and lluidtightness is obtained by means of the nuts 14 which press it against the sealing ring 10. A sample or reference blank A is placed in the perforated cone 48 within the vessel 33. The valves 50 and 52 are opened and the vessel 33 is filled with water. The cover 44 is placed in position and fiuidtightness is achieved by turning the screw 41 which presses the circular flange 43 against the sealing element 49.

It should be mentioned that the pipe 4-9 connecting the chamber I to the upper part of the vessel 33 opens out in this chamber I at the highest point thereof. Thus the air which might exist in the upper part of this chamber is able to escape and the chamber is completely filled with water.

Pump 2 is started up. The bath is pumped by the pump 2 into the chamber I under the deflector 36. It beats upon contact with the steam heating tube 33 and thereafter passes through the blanks A to be dyed and the perforated cones C and escapes through the members 24, 29 to the chamber or jacket ll whence it returns to the inlet 13 of the pump by way of the pipe 19.

At the moment chosen by the dyer the colouring sub stances or other products are added to the vessel 33, after having cut off the latter from the circulating bath by closing the valves 5%), 52 and havingrernoved the cone 48 containing the sample blank A If the colouring substances are used already dissolved, the vessel 38 could be partially or completely drained by opening the cock 53 so as to permit pouring therein the water in which the colouring substances are dissolved.

After having closed the cover 44 of the vessel 33, the

valves 56 and 52 are once more opened and the colouring substances are drawn into the circulating bath. After a lapse of time sufficient to evenly disperse the colouring substances in the bath, the sample blank A placed inside the perforated cone 4-3 is put back into the vessel 38 and is thereafter traversed by the bath under the same conditions as the blanks A carried by the cones C. The dyer checks this sample blank A and when he decides that the dyeing operation has terminated he drains the machine, rinses it once or several times, opens the cover 11 and withdraws the erforated cones C carrying the dyed articles A. Reference will now be made to the variant of the invention shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. The base 5a of an annular chamber Ila rests on a stand 1a, this chamber being formed between an inner tubular wall 7a and an outer tubular wall 8a.

These walls have a horizontal sectional shape in the form of a triangle with rounded corners. The outer wall 8:: is attached to the base 5a whereas the inner wallla 5 rests on this base 5a through the medium of a member 59 whose function will be explained hereinafter.

The annular chamber Ila much larger than the chamber II of the first embodiment and is closed at its upper end by a detachable cover 11a provided with a sealing de vice similar to that of the first embodiment.

Located on the axis of the base In and the chambers in and Ila defined by the walls 7:: and 8a, is a vertical rotary shaft 6% driven in rotation by a motor 61 through the medium of a transmission comprising pulleys 62, 63 and belts 64. Th s shaft 6% extends through a stuifing box 65 and carries the rotor 66 of a centrifugal pump. This rotor turns between the base 5a and the member 59. The latter comprises at its centre a circular opening 67 constituting the inlet of the centrifugal pump and a circular unperforated part which constitutes the side wall of the pump wheel and which carries the diifusion blades 68 fixed to the base 5a. The member 59 also comprises above the opening 67 arms 69 and a hub 7t provided with a tapped axial hole.

It is on top of the member 59 that the inner wall 7a rests. Fixed on the outer face of the wall 7a by the members 24 and 29 (FIG. 6) having claws and tenons, are the perforated cones C Fixed to the upper part of the wall 70 is a conical closing wall 71 through the centre of which extends a rod 72 which has a screwthreaded bottom end screwed in the hub 79. This rod carries fixed to its upper end a hand wheel 73. In unscrewing the rod 72, the wall 7a carrying the perforated cones C can be removed from the chamber Ha.

In the presently-described embodiment, the perforated cones C are assumed to have an elliptical base 22a. The hat blanks to be dyed A are very easily deformed for placing them on these elliptical cones. The base 22a is not flat but curved so as to correspond to the edge of the blanks.

In the presently-described embodiment the cones are disposed on top of each other. As the cross-sectional shape of the chambers la and Ila is substantially triangular, three cones are provided in each horizontal plane. This shape of the cross-sections obviously decreases the volume of the dyeing bath and the elliptical shape of the cones serves the same purpose.

The other parts of the machine are the same as those of the previously-described machine and carry the same reference characters. The machine also operates in the same manner except that the dyeing bath circulates in the opposite direction. The bath is drawn from the central chamber In and pumped into the annular chamber Ila containing the cones.

Although specific embodiments of the invention have been described, many modifications and changes may be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having now described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a machine for pressure dyeing hat bodies by the circulation of a dyeing liquid through the hat bodies, the combination of wall means defining a dyeing chamber having a vertical axis, perforated substantially frustoconical hollow supports arranged in tiers about said axis for respectively supporting a plurality of hat bodies fitted one inside the other, and connecting means mounting each support directly to the wall means, each support extending from the wall means in a radial direction relative to said axis and the conicity of the support being convergent ."u a direction away from the mounting of the support on the wall means, the supports being grouped together into an assembly of supports to an extent which takes advantage of the shape of the supports and the wall means having a contour in plan which substantially conforms to the general contour in plan of said assembly, and the supports being grouped as close together and said assembly of supports being as close to the wall means as is compatible with a proper dyeing of the hat bodies.

2. In a machine for pressure dyeing hat bodies by the circulation of a dyeing liquid through the hat bodies, the combination of wall means defining a dyeing chamber having a vertical axis, perforated substantially frustoconical hollow supports arranged in tier-s about said axis for respectively supporting a plurality of hat bodies fitted one inside the other, there being three supports per tier, and connecting means mounting each support directly to the wall means, each support extending from the tubular wall in a radial direction relative to said axis and the conicity of the support being convergent in a direction away from the mounting of the support on the Wall means, the supports being grouped together into an assembly of supports to an extent which takes advantage of the shape of the supports and the wall means having a contour in plan which substantially conforms to the general contour in plan of said assembly, and the supports being located as close together and as close to the wall means as is compatible with a proper dyeing of the hat bodies.

3. In a machine for pressure dyeing hat bodies by the circulation of a dyeing liquid through the hat bodies, the combination of a tubular wall having a vertical axis, perforated substantially frustoconical hollow supports arranged in tiers about said axis for respectively supporting a plurality of hat bodies fitted one inside the other, connecting means detachably connecting each support to the tubular wall and comprising a first member secured to the tubular wall and a second member secured to the support, the second member being downwardly slidably engageable with the first member and upwardly disengageable from the first member, each support extending from the tubular wall in a radial direction relative to said axis and the conicity of the support being convergent in a direction away from the mounting of the support on the tubular wall, and means defining a dyeing chamber including an externally convex wall extending about said axis in close proximity to the supports, advantage being taken of the frustoconi-cal shape of the supports so that the supports are grouped as close together and as close to the convex wall as is compatible with a proper dyeing of the hat bodies.

4. A machine for pressure dyeing hat bodies and the like with a dyeing liquid, comprising means defining a dyeing chamber having an axis for receiving said liquid, a tubular wall disposed on .said axis, hollow perforated approximately frustoconical supports for respectively carrying a pluraiity of hat bodies fitted thereover, the supports being arranged about said axis in vertically spaced tiers of three of said supports per tier, connecting means detachably mounting each support on one face of the tubular wall, the connecting means being so adapted and arranged that each support is selectively mounted on and detached from the tubular wall by moving the support in a direction substantially parallel with said axis, a passageway extending through each connccting means and the .tubular wall and putting the interior of the support in communication with the other face of the tubular wall, and a liquid pump having an inlet passageway communieating with the interior of each support by way of said passageways throughthe connecting means and a delivery passageway communicating with the dyeing chamber and with the exterior of the supports, each support being mounted on the tubular Wall in such manner that it extendsin a radial direction relative to said axis and the conicity of the support is convergent in a direction away from the corresponding connecting means of the support, the supports being grouped together into an assembly of supports to an extent which takes advantage of the frustocon cal shape of the supports and the means defining the dyeing chamber having a contour in plan which substantlally conforms to the general contour in plan of said assembly, and the supports being grouped as close together and said assembly of supports being as close to the means defining the chamber as is compatible with the dyeing of the hat bodies by said liquid.

5. A machine as claimed in claim 4, further comprising an openable vessel located outside the dyeing chamber, an additional perforated frustoconical hat body support mounted in the vessel, first passage means putting the interior of the additional support in communication with the interiors of the supports in the dyeing chamber and second passage means putting the interior of the vessel and the exterior of the additional support in communication with the exteriors of the supports in the dyeing chamber, whereby colouring substances for the dyeing chamber can be introduced in the latter by placing them in the vessel and furthermore the dyeing operation can be checked by inspecting a hat body sample in the vessel without need to inspect the hat bodies in the dyeing chamber.

6. A machine as claimed incl-aim 5, further comprising valve means in said passage means for selectively disconnecting the vessel from and connecting the vessel to the supports in the dyeing chamber.

7. In a machine for pressure dyeing hat bodies by the circulation of a dyeing liquid through the hat bodies, the combination of a tubular wall having a vertical axis, perf-orated substantially frustoconical hollow support-s arranged in tiers about said axis for respectively supporting .a plurality of hat bodies fitted one inside the other, there being three evenly spaced supports per tier and the supports being .angu'larly oifset sixty degrees from each other relative to the axis from one tier to the next adjacent tier and each support being mounted on the tubular wall in such manner that it extends from the tubular wall in a radial direction relative to said axis and the conicity of the support is convergent in a direction away from the mounting of the support on the tubular wall, and means defining a dyeing chamber including an externally convex .wall extending about said axis in close proximity to the supports, advantage being taken of the frus'toconical shape of the supports so that the supports are grouped as close together and as close to the convex wall as is compatible with a .properdyeing of the hat bodies.

'8. In a machine for pressure dyeing hat bodies by the circulation of a dyeing liquid through the hat bodies, the combination of .a tubular wall having a vertical axis, perforated substantially frustoconical hollow supports arranged in tiers about said axis for respectively supporting a plurality of hat bodies fitted one inside the other, connecting means .detachably connecting each support to the tubular wall and comprising a first member secured to the tubular wall, a second member secured to the support, the second member being downwardly slidably engageable with the first member and upwardly disengageable from the first member, and a passageway extending through the first and second members and the tubular wall and communicating with the interior of the corresponding support, each support extending inwardly from the tubular wall in a radial direction relative to said axis and the conicity of the support being convergent in a direction toward said axis, an outer wall coaxial with said tubular wall and defining with the latter a narrow annular chamber communicating with the interior of the supports by way of said passageways, said tubular wall forming part of a dyeing chamber and a liquid circulating pump having an outlet communicating with said dyeing chamber and an inlet communicating with said annular chamber, advantage being taken of the frustoconical shape of the supports so that the supports are grouped as close together and as close to said axis as is possible bearing in mind the thickness of the hat bodies mounted on each support.

9. In a machine for pressure dyeing hat bodies by the circulation of a dyeing liquid through the hat bodies, the combination of a tubular inner wall having a vertical axis, a tubular outer wall coaxial with the inner wall, perforated substantially frustoconical hollow supports arranged in tiers of three supports per tier about said axis tor respectively supporting a plurality of hat bodies which are fitted one inside the other, connecting means detachably connecting each support to the tubular inner wall and comprising a first member secured to the tubular inner wall and a second member secured to the support, the second member being downwardly slidably engageable with the first member and upwardly disengageable from the first member, each support being mounted on theinner wall in such manner that it extends in a radial direction relative to said axis and the conicity of the support is convergent in a direction away from said axis, the outer wall having in plan .a general shape of a triangle the angles of which are truncated, and the interiors of the hollow supports communicating with the interior of the inner wall, and the supports being disposed as close as possible to said inner wall and to said outer wall, and as close as possible to each other as is compatible with a proper dyeing of the hat bodies.

10. A machine as claimed in claim 9, wherein the tubular inner wall has a substantially triangular-shaped cross-section.

11. A machine as claimed in claim 9, wherein each of the substantially frustoconical supports has an elliptical base through the medium of which the support is mounted on the tubular inner wall, said base having a curved shape in plan and the convex side of the base facing said axis.

12. In a machine for pressure dyeing hat bodies by the circulation of a dyeing liquid through the hat bodies, the combination of a tubular inner wall having a vertical axis, a tubular outer wall coaxial with the inner wall, perforated substantially frust-oconical hollow supports arranged in tiers of three supports per tier about said axis for respectively supporting a plurality of bat bodies which are fitted one inside the other, connecting means connecting each support directly to the inner wall, each tier of three supports having in plan the general contour of a triangle whose corners are truncated, each support extending .in a radial direction relative to said axis and the conicity of the support being convergent in a direction away from said .axis, the outer wall having in plan a gen; eral shape of a triangle the angles of which are truncated, and the interiors of the hollow supports communicating with the interior of the inner wall, and the supports being disposed as close as possible to said inner wall and to said outer wall and as close as possible to each other compatible with a proper dyeing of the hat bodies, each of the supports having an elliptical base through the medium of which the support is mounted on the tubular inner Wall, said base having a curved shape in plan and the convex side of the base facing said axis and the tubular inner wall having a substantially triangular contour in plan.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 773,378 10/04 De'tre 68-489 1,327,657 1/20 Dudley 68185 X 1,327,662 1/20 Dudley 68-189 1,798,623 3/31 Obermaier 68'150 1,988,364 1/35 Steiger 68-l89 X 2,086,100 7/37 Steiger 68-198 2,087,308 7/37 S tienen 68189 X 2,250,085 7/41 Stienen 68189 2,482,319 9/49 Casse 68l84 2,577,727 12/51 Abbott 68189 FOREIGN PATENTS 46,869 3/ 11 Austria.

628,367 6/27 France.

494,915 3/30 Germany.

559,615 2/44 Great Britain.

IRVENG BUNEVICH, Primary Examiner.

WALTER SCHEEL, Examiner. 

1. IN A MACHINE FOR PRESSURE DYEING HAT BODIES BY THE CIRCULATION OF A DYEING LIQUID THROUGH THE HAT BODIES, THE COMBINATION OF WALL MEANS DEFINING A DYEING CHAMBER HAVING A VERTICAL AXIS, PERFORATED SUBSTANTIALLY FRUSTO-CONICAL HOLLOW SUPPORTS ARRANGED IN TIERS ABOUT SAID AXIS FOR RESPECTIVELY SUPPORTING A PLURALITY OF HAT BODIES FITTED ONE INSIDE THE OTHER, AND CONNECTING MEANS MOUNTED EACH SUPPORT DIRECTLY TO THE WALL MEANS, EACH SUPPORT EXTENDING FROM THE WALL MEANS IN A RADIAL DIRECTION RELATIVE TO SAID AXIS AND THE CONICITY OF THE SUPPORT BEING CONVERGENT IN A DIRECTION AWAY FROM THE MOUNTING OF THE SUPPORT ON THE WALL MEANS, THE SUPPORTS BEING GROUPED TOGETHER INTO AN ASSEMBLY OF SUPPORTS TO AN EXTENT WHICH TAKES ADVAN-TAGE OF THE SHAPE OF THE SUPPORTS AND THE WALL MEANS HAV-ING A CONTOUR IN PLAN WHICH SUBSTANTIALLY CONFORMS TO THE 